Criminal Justice Reform

The United States incarcerates more people per capita than any other country in the world. Roughly 2 million people are currently incarcerated in the U.S. – the majority of whom are non-violent offenders. A shocking 74% of those detained in local jails have not been convicted of a crime.

Mass incarceration has decimated entire communities. Our system does not provide equitable treatment under the law – especially for those who cannot afford representation.

To reform our criminal justice system, we must:

Implement state of the art training for law enforcement in areas like de-escalation, crisis intervention, use of force and officer wellness.

Provide federal funding for body cameras for all law enforcement agencies

End profit incentives to incarcerate by ending federal contracts with for-profit prisons and detention centers

Break the school to prison pipeline by replacing punitive disciplinary policies with support interventions and counseling

Stop the war on drugs, start a war on addiction – treat addiction and mental health issues as public health issues, not criminal justice issues.

Provide a pathway to successful re-entry to society by investing in job training programs for the formerly incarcerated, banning federal employers and contractors from asking applicants about their criminal record, and most importantly restoring voting right to those who have served their sentences.